University of Essex donates maths books to African universities

The maths department at the University of Essex has donated 20 boxes of high quality textbooks to African universities through the charity Books2Africa.

The book donation was arranged as the department prepares to move to a new building at the University’s Colchester Campus, following continued growth in student and staff numbers.

Professor Peter Higgins from the Department of Mathematical Sciences said: “We’ve outgrown our current building, which has been our home since the University opened in 1964. Over the summer we’ll take up residence on the top floor of the University’s new purpose-built STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – building.

“As part of the move our staff organised a donation of books that were surplus to our own requirements, giving them to our students and now also to African universities to help their institutions grow and build their own library stock.”

13 million books go to landfill in the UK every year. Books2Africa is a charity committed to reducing environmental waste in the UK and improving the quality of education in Africa through the collection and distribution of books.

Founded in 2012 by four African students during their time studying in the UK, the organisation now has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations ECOSOC.